cassicat / FlickrAccording to Barron's columnist Steven Sears, someone made a big bet against the financials ETF yesterday (ticker symbol XLF), and it has everybody buzzing.The trader bought 100,000 put options on the ETF (a put option increases in value when the price of the underlying asset, in this case, the ETF, goes down).To put that number in perspective, Sears writes, "Few investors ever trade more than 500 contracts, so a 100,000 order tends to stop traffic and prompt all sorts of speculation about what's motivating the trade." According to Sears, the trade "has sparked conversations across the market."The trade makes money if the ETF drops below $16. It's trading just north of $17.50 today.While the bet has everyone scratching their heads, Sears offers one possible explanation: bank stocks have been on a tear lately, so it make sense for someone who own bank stocks to hedge against a reversal by purchasing put options on the ETF that tracks bank stocks.However, Sears says a trader trying to hedge against a short-term reversal didn't need to set up the trade this way:To be sure, it makes perfect sense to hedge a hot fund like the financial sector SPDR. The fund has surged this year, and gained about 7.2%. But if the mystery hedger was simply concerned the financial sector exchange-traded fund would retreat from its 52-week high of 17.66, which is reasonable, there are shorter-term hedges. For instance, he could have bought puts that expire no later than March, because they would be more sensitive to near-term changes.By choosing April puts, the mystery investor has some traders concerned that they, along with the majority of investors, are too optimistic ahead of the coming budget fight.Read the rest at Barrons.com >Interestingly, Art Cashin alerted readers of his daily note to a similarly large and bearish but separate trade this morning. Read about it here >

cassicat / FlickrAccording to Barron's columnist Steven Sears, someone made a big bet against the financials ETF yesterday (ticker symbol XLF), and it has everybody buzzing.The trader bought 100,000 put options on the ETF (a put option increases in value when the price of the underlying asset, in this case, the ETF, goes down).To put that number in perspective, Sears writes, "Few investors ever trade more than 500 contracts, so a 100,000 order tends to stop traffic and prompt all sorts of speculation about what's motivating the trade." According to Sears, the trade "has sparked conversations across the market."The trade makes money if the ETF drops below $16. It's trading just north of $17.50 today.While the bet has everyone scratching their heads, Sears offers one possible explanation: bank stocks have been on a tear lately, so it make sense for someone who own bank stocks to hedge against a reversal by purchasing put options on the ETF that tracks bank stocks.However, Sears says a trader trying to hedge against a short-term reversal didn't need to set up the trade this way:To be sure, it makes perfect sense to hedge a hot fund like the financial sector SPDR. The fund has surged this year, and gained about 7.2%. But if the mystery hedger was simply concerned the financial sector exchange-traded fund would retreat from its 52-week high of 17.66, which is reasonable, there are shorter-term hedges. For instance, he could have bought puts that expire no later than March, because they would be more sensitive to near-term changes.By choosing April puts, the mystery investor has some traders concerned that they, along with the majority of investors, are too optimistic ahead of the coming budget fight.Read the rest at Barrons.com >Interestingly, Art Cashin alerted readers of his daily note to a similarly large and bearish but separate trade this morning. Read about it here >

We finally figured out that the only way to destroy the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution was to do it indirectly through the destruction of this country financially.

This will allow us to step forward after the mayhem as your saviors, and gives us the opportunity to re-write the constitution to protect government, and bind you, the citizen, in all that you do.

I love psychology. It is so easily applied to sheep.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 33813062

yep but the 14000 the dow is at is about half that with all the printed money that has no backing... plus countries around the world are dumping our dollar. No longer can we float checks as our credit rating is no more. The dollars will be coming home to rooost!!!

We finally figured out that the only way to destroy the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution was to do it indirectly through the destruction of this country financially.

This will allow us to step forward after the mayhem as your saviors, and gives us the opportunity to re-write the constitution to protect government, and bind you, the citizen, in all that you do.

I love psychology. It is so easily applied to sheep.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 33813062

I'm a 50+ yr old woman. I don't curse. I try to be self sufficient and have worked and saved my entire life so my children don't have to be responsible for me financially. I'm so very glad you find this situation amusing. Coming from me, this statement means a lot.

black man is dependent on the billionairs and wallstreet just like the white man. lol Obama is not black anyway. He is using the black community and actually serves wallstreet. He is more white than bush is... however he really duped the black community and many black leaders upset at him. Take the black professor cornel west for example. Also Farrakam has come out against obama as a traitor to the black community. hmmm

black man is dependent on the billionairs and wallstreet just like the white man. lol Obama is not black anyway. He is using the black community and actually serves wallstreet. He is more white than bush is... however he really duped the black community and many black leaders upset at him. Take the black professor cornel west for example. Also Farrakam has come out against obama as a traitor to the black community. hmmm

black man is dependent on the billionairs and wallstreet just like the white man. lol Obama is not black anyway. He is using the black community and actually serves wallstreet. He is more white than bush is... however he really duped the black community and many black leaders upset at him. Take the black professor cornel west for example. Also Farrakam has come out against obama as a traitor to the black community. hmmm

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 33574022

nice attempt at deflection... the jury sticks.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 27243460

no making sense to someone that has no understanding of the way things work. Obama is in office because America is ripe for judgement... and yes blacks will be judged right along with the whites. No bias when the hammer falls. lol

black man is dependent on the billionairs and wallstreet just like the white man. lol Obama is not black anyway. He is using the black community and actually serves wallstreet. He is more white than bush is... however he really duped the black community and many black leaders upset at him. Take the black professor cornel west for example. Also Farrakam has come out against obama as a traitor to the black community. hmmm

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 33574022

nice attempt at deflection... the jury sticks.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 27243460

no making sense to someone that has no understanding of the way things work. Obama is in office because America is ripe for judgement... and yes blacks will be judged right along with the whites. No bias when the hammer falls. lol

black man is dependent on the billionairs and wallstreet just like the white man. lol Obama is not black anyway. He is using the black community and actually serves wallstreet. He is more white than bush is... however he really duped the black community and many black leaders upset at him. Take the black professor cornel west for example. Also Farrakam has come out against obama as a traitor to the black community. hmmm

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 33574022

nice attempt at deflection... the jury sticks.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 27243460

no making sense to someone that has no understanding of the way things work. Obama is in office because America is ripe for judgement... and yes blacks will be judged right along with the whites. No bias when the hammer falls. lol

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 33574022

The meek shall inherit the earth

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 27243460

Well you sure didnt sound too meek a minute ago :D:D:D:D

I guess you wont be inheriting the earth.

BTW black Israelite are a cult just like white identity 'chrisitans' are

no making sense to someone that has no understanding of the way things work. Obama is in office because America is ripe for judgement... and yes blacks will be judged right along with the whites. No bias when the hammer falls. lol

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 33574022

The meek shall inherit the earth

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 27243460

Well you sure didnt sound too meek a minute ago :D:D:D:D

I guess you wont be inheriting the earth.

BTW black Israelite are a cult just like white identity 'chrisitans' are

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 33574022

I'm not the one talking down the economy you worthless shitbag. YOU ARE!

no making sense to someone that has no understanding of the way things work. Obama is in office because America is ripe for judgement... and yes blacks will be judged right along with the whites. No bias when the hammer falls. lol

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 33574022

The meek shall inherit the earth

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 27243460

Well you sure didnt sound too meek a minute ago :D:D:D:D

I guess you wont be inheriting the earth.

BTW black Israelite are a cult just like white identity 'chrisitans' are

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 33574022

I'm not the one talking down the economy you worthless shitbag. YOU ARE!

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 27243460

talking down the economy??? hahaha you mean because I recognize obamas policies as speeding along the collapse, I am now talking down the economy? Listen, Bush was bad but Obama is a chocolate covered bush on steroids ... he is more in bed with the globalists and wallstreeters than the bushes ever were!!! Why cant blacks see this? haha no wonder the globalists used this color issue. It is the perfect strategy to divide and conquer. I guess you wont get it until you are without food, gas or electricity.